Fairfax Streets for People Almost Here!

Sustainable Fairfax announces the fifth annual Streets for People festival; an Open Streets event in downtown Fairfax, on Sunday August 28, 2016 from 10:00 am to 4:00pm. The event transforms Bolinas Road in downtown Fairfax into a lively car-free space for a day. Participants can catch live music, play a game of checkers, get a bite to eat or drink at an outdoor café, find a new outfit at the clothing swap, or watch dance demonstrations.

A new feature this year is Kidical Mass, a family bike ride to San Anselmo and back and a cargo bike parade through the Streets for People event!

This year Bolinas Park will be a Teen Only Scene (10am-2pm), organized by the Streets for People youth committee, featuring an open mic, spike ball, hula hooping, a slack line, Live Water's balancing board, ping pong, community art and more. People of all ages can also catch a QiGong (2:30) or Tai Chi (3:00) class later in the afternoon.

Outreach tables by nonprofits and local agencies will provide information and resources focusing on sustainability and community.

The event celebrates alternative transportation and will feature Transit Alley, with biking, walking and public transportation related exhibits as part of Sustainable Fairfax’s ReduceX2 campaign. Safe Routes to School will be be there with its bike powered smoothie maker! Free bike valet service will be provided in the parking lot next to Gestalt.

Streets for People is part of a national and international movement of Open Streets events. It was started in 2012 by Renee Goddard of Sustainable Fairfax (now Mayor of Fairfax), in collaboration with Sustainable Fairfax, the Town of Fairfax and the Fairfax Chamber. She was inspired by Ciclovía, a successful weekly event in Bogotá, Columbia that opens over 70 of miles of city streets to citizens for outdoor physical activity, attracting up to 2 million participants. “It is the diversity of people in a common space which allows for a rich community fabric in which each citizen is a thread”, says Goddard. “The vision behind Fairfax’s Streets for People is to create community resiliency and positive spirit. It’s a celebration of what makes Fairfax unique, and a fun opportunity to stimulate our local economy.”

The event is a collaboration of Sustainable Fairfax, the Town of Fairfax and the Fairfax Chamber of Commerce.

For more information on Streets for People, visit the Streets for People website.

Help us make Streets for People a success! Sign up to volunteer here.

Find resources and information on Open Streets Events at http://openstreetsproject.org/.